WEBVTT 1 00:00:14.039 --> 00:00:18.879 Worried about the United Nations, anxious about those bills piling up. 2 00:00:20.239 --> 00:00:21.519 I want to get away from it all. 3 00:00:22.039 --> 00:00:24.280 CBS offers you escape. 4 00:00:35.399 --> 00:00:38.880 You are the victim of a native witch doctor, pursued 5 00:00:38.920 --> 00:00:41.880 from the west coast of Africa to the West end 6 00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:45.320 of London by the grinning face of a dead man. 7 00:00:46.439 --> 00:00:49.079 You are under the curse of a poorer man. 8 00:00:49.640 --> 00:00:54.560 The Columbia Broadcasting System and its affiliated stations present Escape, 9 00:00:54.799 --> 00:00:58.479 produced and directed by William N. Robeson, and carefully plotted 10 00:00:58.479 --> 00:01:00.560 to free you from the four walls of to day 11 00:01:00.920 --> 00:01:03.240 for a half hour of high adventure. 12 00:01:06.599 --> 00:01:09.920 To night, we escaped to the dark lowlands of West 13 00:01:09.959 --> 00:01:13.640 Africa and the mind of a man who scoffed at 14 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:17.680 native magic. As H. G. Wells painted in his gripping 15 00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:20.599 story Pollock and the Poorer Man. 16 00:01:31.000 --> 00:01:33.640 I had spent considerable time in Africa, but I have 17 00:01:33.920 --> 00:01:37.000 given little credence to the many superstitions of the natives there, 18 00:01:37.599 --> 00:01:41.280 voodoo curses, weird incantations of which doctors and the like 19 00:01:41.799 --> 00:01:44.840 had always seemed a pretty silly business to me. But 20 00:01:44.920 --> 00:01:47.400 that was before the affair of Pollock and the Poorer Man. 21 00:01:48.439 --> 00:01:51.439 Even then, while the thing was happening, I took little notice. 22 00:01:52.040 --> 00:01:54.000 Twas only when I got back to England some months 23 00:01:54.040 --> 00:01:56.519 later and went to see Pollack climbing up the three 24 00:01:56.519 --> 00:01:59.319 flights of stairs to his lonely bedroom that I began 25 00:01:59.400 --> 00:02:02.719 to realize the ghastly truth of it. One look at 26 00:02:02.760 --> 00:02:05.799 him was enough. I had never before seen a man 27 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:11.599 so unnaturally wasted, so prematurely aged and broken, so eerily mad, 28 00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:14.919 This man lying on the bed looking up at me 29 00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:19.039 with haggard eyes. It was. It was good of you 30 00:02:19.080 --> 00:02:22.319 to come water house, nonsense, old chap. I just thought 31 00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:24.800 i'd look you up and say hello. But I had 32 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:26.960 no idea I would find you will ill? 33 00:02:28.759 --> 00:02:32.759 Yes, I I suppose I am ill. I suppose that's 34 00:02:32.759 --> 00:02:35.840 what you'd call it. What in Heaven's name is the matter, Pollock? 35 00:02:36.159 --> 00:02:40.599 I said, come closer, will you barely see you? 36 00:02:40.840 --> 00:02:46.039 Yes? Of course, I just drop a chair. No, take 37 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:48.520 it away, take it away? What are you talking about? 38 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:51.159 What is it? Then? Ting in your hand? Take it away? 39 00:02:51.159 --> 00:02:51.400 Please? 40 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:54.439 If I heaven't say take it in my hand, the Pollock, 41 00:02:54.520 --> 00:03:00.639 this is only my hat? Why? Yes, of course, just 42 00:03:00.680 --> 00:03:05.800 an ordinary black homboy style is offensive to know. I 43 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:09.000 just put it on the table, the floor somewhere where 44 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:15.120 I can't see it. Please? Of course, old, I suppose 45 00:03:15.159 --> 00:03:17.960 you think I'm may I don't know you do. 46 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:24.159 Everybody does, because I'm used to it now. The worst 47 00:03:24.159 --> 00:03:28.439 of it is perhaps I am, I say, Pollock. I 48 00:03:28.520 --> 00:03:32.360 mean I don't think so, because I do see it. 49 00:03:32.599 --> 00:03:34.560 I don't care if no one else does. I can 50 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:38.560 see it. See what a head that hid des face, 51 00:03:38.680 --> 00:03:44.120 following me everywhere, grinning at me and always upside down? 52 00:03:44.439 --> 00:03:46.360 Pollock, what are you talking about? 53 00:03:47.360 --> 00:03:50.680 You don't believe me either? Well, look at my wrist. 54 00:03:50.719 --> 00:03:52.599 It's broken and the bandage is still on it. That's 55 00:03:52.639 --> 00:03:55.680 real enough, isn't it. Yes, of course broken? You say, 56 00:03:55.840 --> 00:04:01.080 yes it did, and my other accent. And when I 57 00:04:01.159 --> 00:04:04.280 first got back to England, they said I walked in 58 00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:07.560 front of a bus. But I know better it did 59 00:04:07.719 --> 00:04:13.080 that tool ahead exactly. You wouldn't expect to see a 60 00:04:13.159 --> 00:04:15.840 man's head come rolling down the middle of a busy 61 00:04:15.879 --> 00:04:17.279 street in London, now, would you know? 62 00:04:17.439 --> 00:04:20.079 Poll You'd better lie back rest a bit. I'll call 63 00:04:20.120 --> 00:04:20.560 a doctor. 64 00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:28.040 You too, And I thought you might understand, after all, 65 00:04:28.079 --> 00:04:29.160 you were with me when it started. 66 00:04:29.160 --> 00:04:31.399 It was you who first warned me, who sent me home. 67 00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:35.399 You don't mean that the business with a parlor man. 68 00:04:35.399 --> 00:04:39.439 Oh yes, yes, of course you remember how it started. 69 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:44.040 We were camped at that little village on the lagoon 70 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:47.800 behind the turn of Peninsula. It was swampy and hot, 71 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:51.360 and I was bored to tears. Maybe that's why I 72 00:04:51.399 --> 00:04:54.920 did it. But anyway, when when I got back, you 73 00:04:54.959 --> 00:04:55.879 were furious with me. 74 00:04:58.839 --> 00:05:01.759 Loon. No, no, you're a fool pollock. You've got to 75 00:05:01.800 --> 00:05:04.759 take it back immediately, you hear, or what possible difference? 76 00:05:04.759 --> 00:05:07.519 Get it neck waterhouse. Why all this fuss, old boy, 77 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:09.639 It's only a little wooden statue. Can't be worth anything 78 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:12.639 except for curial. You're not that stupid pollock. You know 79 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:14.920 very well this is a porah idol. You must have 80 00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:17.920 stolen it from the hut of a witch dog, don't 81 00:05:17.959 --> 00:05:20.279 you see? To them this is sacred, as sacred as 82 00:05:20.319 --> 00:05:23.160 an altar cross to a Christian. You've not only committed 83 00:05:23.160 --> 00:05:25.639 a crime in their eyes, but a terrible sacrilege as well. 84 00:05:26.680 --> 00:05:29.240 Don't tell me they're going to sit their painted gods 85 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:33.560 on me. I should be frightened dead before they can 86 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:35.480 do anything. You're going to take this back where you 87 00:05:35.560 --> 00:05:38.000 found it and apologize to the poro man, apologize to 88 00:05:38.040 --> 00:05:41.160 an illiterate black witch manner you create, Pollock, I've had 89 00:05:41.199 --> 00:05:43.480 about as much of you as I can stand. You're 90 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:45.439 one of those infernal fools who think a black man 91 00:05:45.480 --> 00:05:47.879 isn't a human being. I can't turn my back. Which 92 00:05:47.879 --> 00:05:50.199 you're running crossways to them, getting your some scraper over 93 00:05:50.920 --> 00:05:53.160 the third time this month, and this time it's serious. 94 00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:55.519 Are you telling me you're going to send me home? 95 00:05:56.040 --> 00:05:58.240 I honestly think it would be best. As a matter 96 00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:00.720 of fact, I'm all for it, very happy to get 97 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:03.920 out of this sticky, dirty, god forsaken place. Very well. 98 00:06:04.279 --> 00:06:06.600 But before you go, Pollock, for the good of the expedition, 99 00:06:06.680 --> 00:06:10.319 you've got to take a thing back and apologize. Oh 100 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:15.120 I didn't think i'd better. Why not? Well, tell the truth. 101 00:06:15.160 --> 00:06:17.639 I don't think they'd give me a chance to apologize, 102 00:06:18.680 --> 00:06:21.000 all right, tell me what happened? 103 00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:24.759 Oh, nothing very much, except well, as I was carrying 104 00:06:24.759 --> 00:06:26.800 the thing away and when of those chaps popped up 105 00:06:26.800 --> 00:06:30.319 and saw it, started yelling trying to take it from me. 106 00:06:31.160 --> 00:06:33.680 Yes, go on, Well we had a bit of a tussle. 107 00:06:33.920 --> 00:06:38.319 I got away. Go on, Pollock. We uh we were 108 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:41.360 on the bank of the river, and I toppled him 109 00:06:41.360 --> 00:06:44.920 over that song. He fell into the river. Yes, I 110 00:06:44.920 --> 00:06:48.439 think he may have hit the rocks first. Was he 111 00:06:48.519 --> 00:06:51.399 badly hurt? I don't know. I didn't stop to find 112 00:06:51.399 --> 00:06:54.279 out he was dead, wasn't he I really don't know, 113 00:06:56.040 --> 00:06:58.759 you fool. It was an accident. I had an accident 114 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:00.920 a lot. They care bad enough with the idol, but 115 00:07:00.959 --> 00:07:03.839 you've probably killed a man. We're in for it now. Well, 116 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:07.800 there's nothing to be frightened about. Nothing. In the first place, 117 00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:09.959 I should think even your conscience would suffer a little. 118 00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:13.279 The second, you don't seem to understand about this poror business. 119 00:07:13.720 --> 00:07:17.600 It rules the country. It's the law, religion, medicine, everything 120 00:07:18.279 --> 00:07:20.560 in these porror are the most vindictive men on earth. 121 00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:23.399 The one whose idol you've stolen, whose follower you killed, 122 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:26.519 will be duty bound to do something about it, and 123 00:07:26.560 --> 00:07:29.319 there's no telling what he will all come. Now, you 124 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:32.600 don't believe in these voodoo curses and things, of course not. 125 00:07:32.800 --> 00:07:35.560 I'm thinking of something much more real than that. Mean 126 00:07:35.639 --> 00:07:38.360 you might try something rough. I can only advise you 127 00:07:38.399 --> 00:07:40.040 to lie low until we can get you out of here. 128 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:42.639 In the morning. I'll take you as far as Sulima 129 00:07:42.680 --> 00:07:45.120 and see you safer boarders. You needn't I can go 130 00:07:45.160 --> 00:07:49.680 alone from here, not far. You still don't understand this business. 131 00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:52.560 You wouldn't get a quarter of a mile from this 132 00:07:52.720 --> 00:08:01.560 camp alone. 133 00:08:01.959 --> 00:08:05.639 I still thought you were making a mountain out of 134 00:08:05.720 --> 00:08:11.480 the mole Hill waterhouse. But I must admit I didn't 135 00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:16.120 sleep much that night. I lay there on the mat 136 00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:17.120 in my hut. 137 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:21.920 And listened to the sounds of the village and then 138 00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:27.319 later to the noises of the of the night wakening jungle. 139 00:08:29.560 --> 00:08:33.279 Some time after midnight, I must have dozed off, because 140 00:08:34.440 --> 00:08:39.159 I awoke with a start. For a moment I was confused, 141 00:08:40.120 --> 00:08:46.120 but I sensed something wrong, and then, framed against the 142 00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:48.759 moonlight square of the door, I saw a handle praised 143 00:08:49.360 --> 00:08:54.960 and in it a knife. Stop it stop Russhult, Stop 144 00:08:55.080 --> 00:08:55.840 you you. 145 00:08:57.519 --> 00:08:57.759 Hollo? 146 00:08:57.799 --> 00:09:00.200 What is it? What happened? I missed the begger waters? 147 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:01.279 I missed who missed who? 148 00:09:01.320 --> 00:09:01.919 What happened? 149 00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:05.200 A poorer man waterhouse? He was in my hut. He 150 00:09:05.240 --> 00:09:08.200 had a knife. He tried to kill. Now, wait a minute, 151 00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:14.240 a minute, quit life, by delight. There you're right, man, 152 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:19.080 I'm all right. I just saw it in time rode 153 00:09:19.080 --> 00:09:26.000 aside in him. Look, eh, in my bed. The knife. 154 00:09:27.399 --> 00:09:32.000 That was a narrow one. Well, perhaps now you understand 155 00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:35.279 the seriousness of this Waterhouse. I saw his face. 156 00:09:36.360 --> 00:09:39.639 He stopped just at the door for a second. He 157 00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:41.799 was crouched down, and he looked back at. 158 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:45.559 Me from under his arm. His face was edged clearly 159 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:52.440 in the moonlight. It it was upside down. I'll never 160 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:56.879 forget it. I'll get you are listen, Waterhouse listening. He 161 00:09:56.960 --> 00:10:00.679 glared back at me with his painted face upside eye down, 162 00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:04.440 and streaked with those hideous scars they cut in their cheeks. 163 00:10:07.080 --> 00:10:10.320 See that in my dream? Steady on, old man, here 164 00:10:10.360 --> 00:10:15.639 you are drink this all right? What the idol's gone? 165 00:10:15.679 --> 00:10:18.120 I've just noticed the idol's gone. He took it. It's gone. Yes, 166 00:10:18.440 --> 00:10:21.879 Well then it's all over. He got what he wants. 167 00:10:23.000 --> 00:10:26.240 He well bother me again, will he? I am afraid 168 00:10:26.279 --> 00:10:28.200 there's more to it than that. But he's got the 169 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:33.879 blasted idol back and he won't try it again. Oh, Willie, 170 00:10:34.159 --> 00:10:38.039 I have just noticed something, too, Pollock, there's something here 171 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:41.200 on the floor. One of your shots clipped off the 172 00:10:41.240 --> 00:10:44.600 tip of his little finger. It's too bad you aren't 173 00:10:44.639 --> 00:10:49.080 a better shot. Why why do you say that? Because 174 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:52.000 I'm afraid we haven't seen the loss of this business yet. 175 00:11:00.519 --> 00:11:05.120 You were more right than your new waterhouse. The next 176 00:11:05.159 --> 00:11:08.279 morning was only the beginning. We were standing with the 177 00:11:08.360 --> 00:11:15.080 river and supervising clocking. I'm glad we're getting out of here. 178 00:11:15.240 --> 00:11:18.080 Something brewing or things wouldn't be so quiet. Oh what 179 00:11:18.159 --> 00:11:21.120 would be brewing? A stink in the copper pot, probably 180 00:11:21.879 --> 00:11:24.759 dancing in a circle of skulls putting curses on you 181 00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:27.519 that what can he do? How the devil should I know? 182 00:11:28.600 --> 00:11:31.240 The first five people? We know? A lot of rum dodges. 183 00:11:31.960 --> 00:11:35.080 The best thing to look out work the man that's closer. 184 00:11:35.720 --> 00:11:38.159 What was it? One of their beastly poisoned arrows? And 185 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:43.000 the tree behind you missed your head by inches came 186 00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:45.840 from over there in the bush. Let's let's do something. 187 00:11:45.879 --> 00:11:48.639 Let's chase him something no use now, never find him 188 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:50.519 in there. Best thing for us to do is to 189 00:11:50.559 --> 00:12:01.000 get out of here quick. Well we go out, all right. 190 00:12:01.799 --> 00:12:04.840 You remember how we went down the river, keeping as 191 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:09.919 far from the banks as possible. You thought I was 192 00:12:10.039 --> 00:12:12.840 safe when you got me to Salima and said goodbye. 193 00:12:13.240 --> 00:12:18.120 Didn't you water us? So did I? You said goodbye 194 00:12:18.200 --> 00:12:22.720 and went back to the interior. Nothing happened for two days, 195 00:12:22.759 --> 00:12:24.639 and I was beginning to feel that the whole thing 196 00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:29.240 was just a nasty dream. And then then as I 197 00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:32.440 was walking in the compound, I was hitting the arm 198 00:12:32.480 --> 00:12:37.039 with a slug. It was a long shot, the bullet 199 00:12:37.080 --> 00:12:40.879 was spent. I only got a flesh wound. But I 200 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:45.879 knew or he was there, and I decided to confide 201 00:12:45.879 --> 00:12:49.720 in Berea, the little Portuguese who rented me a hutneys compound. 202 00:12:51.080 --> 00:12:52.120 He took it seriously. 203 00:12:52.759 --> 00:12:57.279 It is a personal question, you though. It is revenge, see, 204 00:12:57.919 --> 00:13:00.000 and he must turry because you will leave the county. 205 00:13:00.200 --> 00:13:01.759 Yes, I'll be on the boat of free Town in 206 00:13:01.840 --> 00:13:04.039 three more days. Then I'll be rid of him forever. 207 00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:09.240 Perhaps then there's this magic. Of course I don't believe 208 00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:16.519 in it, superstition, but still it's not nice to think 209 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:20.000 that wherever you are, there's a black man spends a 210 00:13:20.200 --> 00:13:24.120 moonlight night, sometimes dancing around a fire to send. 211 00:13:23.879 --> 00:13:31.000 You bad dreams. You have any bad dreams there, keep 212 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:35.720 seeing the beggar's head upside down, grinning at me, showing 213 00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:39.440 all his teeth the way he did not. It's nothing 214 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:40.120 to be afraid of. 215 00:13:40.480 --> 00:13:44.200 It's not pleasant either, then, they say, potman, send snakes. 216 00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:47.960 You seen any snakes lately? 217 00:13:49.399 --> 00:13:52.639 Only one? I killed one this morning on the floor 218 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:55.759 under my hammock. Almost stepped on him when I got up. 219 00:13:56.360 --> 00:14:02.559 Of course it is coincidence. Still I would keep eyes open. 220 00:14:03.720 --> 00:14:06.159 Then there is the pains in the legs and arms. 221 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:09.720 I thought they were caused by miasma. Oh, probably they are. 222 00:14:11.639 --> 00:14:16.559 When did they begin? Why? Three nights ago? The night? Ah, oh, 223 00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:19.440 blast it, it's nonsense. If I could just meet the 224 00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:21.720 stebber face to face, put a gun in my. 225 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:25.759 Hand, you might shoot him, But then he might shoot you. 226 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:29.720 I think he do not want to kill you anyway, 227 00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:34.440 not yet. Their idea is scarce and worry a man 228 00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:38.240 with their spells and narrow misses and pains and bad 229 00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:42.440 dreams and all that until he's sick of life. 230 00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:47.440 Of course it's all talk. See, you must not worry 231 00:14:47.480 --> 00:14:49.759 about it. Oh no, no, no, no, of course nothing. But 232 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:54.960 I wonder what he'll be up to next. Perhaps it 233 00:14:55.080 --> 00:14:57.559 is I who shall be up to something. What you mean? 234 00:14:57.720 --> 00:15:00.200 Never mind? But I'm not one to just sit and 235 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:09.240 take this. That very afternoon I had a conversation with 236 00:15:09.320 --> 00:15:11.200 her rough necked men, thy tribesmen. 237 00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:14.919 I found there in Salima. He showed me a little 238 00:15:15.080 --> 00:15:19.120 iron dagger and demonstrated how one struck at the back 239 00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:22.759 of the neck. He agreed to do the job for 240 00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:26.279 the price of a double barrel gun with an ornamental lock. 241 00:15:27.720 --> 00:15:30.320 I went back to Pereers feeling better than I had 242 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:34.000 in days. That night, the Portuguese and I was sitting 243 00:15:34.039 --> 00:15:37.159 in his living room playing cards, when suddenly the men 244 00:15:37.240 --> 00:15:39.519 die Rough strode in without so much as is it? 245 00:15:40.519 --> 00:15:43.320 What do you want? Oh? Won't you have done? What 246 00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:46.399 you tell me? Hell bru, what is it you have 247 00:15:46.440 --> 00:15:53.960 in the package? Is that blood dripping rue? Yeah? His head? 248 00:15:54.360 --> 00:16:00.159 Oh no, no, no, this man you want? No, I 249 00:16:00.200 --> 00:16:02.840 get gone. You didn't have to bring this. I didn't 250 00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:04.039 ask for such proof. 251 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:07.600 You mean, Senor Pollock. You got him killed. You did 252 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:08.559 not kill him yourself? 253 00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:11.080 Why should I? But he will not be able to 254 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:14.080 take it off? Now, what do you mean take it off? 255 00:16:14.360 --> 00:16:17.759 Look at the cards, they are all spoilt with this blood. 256 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:20.279 What do you mean take what off? 257 00:16:20.879 --> 00:16:23.320 You must send me a new pack from Freetown. You 258 00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:24.200 can't buy them there. 259 00:16:24.279 --> 00:16:25.080 Take what off? 260 00:16:26.039 --> 00:16:30.039 It is only a superstition I forgot. The natives say, 261 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:33.440 if the witch he was a witch. What did is 262 00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:36.440 all rubbish? Go on, go on, well, they say you 263 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:39.799 must take make the boro man, take the curse off, 264 00:16:39.879 --> 00:16:40.720 or kill him yourself. 265 00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:42.519 It is very silly. Gone. 266 00:16:42.759 --> 00:16:44.360 No, I'll make it. 267 00:16:44.440 --> 00:16:46.720 Two guns if you'll take that beastly thing away. No 268 00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:53.000 one gun? No, all right, rayah, that gun. You have 269 00:16:53.039 --> 00:16:54.639 to say, I'll give it to him. Have the money 270 00:16:54.720 --> 00:17:01.080 right here over here, take it and go. 271 00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:09.960 It is funny how the head sits upside down, just 272 00:17:10.119 --> 00:17:10.640 the way I. 273 00:17:10.599 --> 00:17:13.599 Saw him that night, just the way I see him 274 00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:14.799 in my dreams, like it. 275 00:17:14.759 --> 00:17:17.880 Was waited that way. You will take him with you 276 00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:21.359 when you go. Maybe take him now. My cards are 277 00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:24.799 all spoiled. There is a man sells them in Freetown. 278 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:28.279 You should have killed him yourself. 279 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:30.279 It stop it, stop it. 280 00:17:36.680 --> 00:17:40.599 I took the thing to my hut, and no matter 281 00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:43.839 what I did, it always came to rest, upside down 282 00:17:43.920 --> 00:17:44.880 and glaring at me. 283 00:17:46.039 --> 00:17:48.799 I got a shovel. I buried it in the soft 284 00:17:48.880 --> 00:17:52.440 earth behind the hut. But in the middle of the 285 00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:56.519 night I was awakened by some sound in my room. 286 00:17:56.960 --> 00:17:58.799 Oh what is it? Who's there? 287 00:17:59.400 --> 00:17:59.920 Speak up? 288 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:04.839 I shoot? Oh a dog? 289 00:18:05.960 --> 00:18:24.200 Only a dog, Yes, it was only a doll. But 290 00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:28.799 in the morning, when I awoke and started to get 291 00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:35.640 out of bed, there it was in the center of 292 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:38.079 the floor, glaring at me upside down. 293 00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:42.680 It was uncanny until I remembered the dog. I found 294 00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:44.920 these paw prints and the dug up earth outside, and 295 00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:48.200 I knew how it got there. I took the thing 296 00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:50.480 down to the river. I threw it as far as 297 00:18:50.519 --> 00:18:53.400 I could into the current. At last i'd be rid 298 00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:57.759 of it. That morning. 299 00:18:58.920 --> 00:19:06.359 I killed two snakes. But late in the afternoon the 300 00:19:06.440 --> 00:19:08.920 little steamer arrived. They would take me away from this 301 00:19:09.119 --> 00:19:13.720 insane land of the borrow and freak down and civilization. 302 00:19:16.039 --> 00:19:19.440 Ay. It almost begun to feel gay. 303 00:19:20.839 --> 00:19:24.000 As that boat carried me swiftly away from the shores 304 00:19:24.039 --> 00:19:27.640 of the Perora. Then at last I would be free, 305 00:19:27.680 --> 00:19:31.519 and soon I'd be back where borow and curses and nightmares. 306 00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:35.000 Would be forgotten. I was standing at the rail, sighing 307 00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:37.960 with relief, when the captain of the steamer, whom I'd 308 00:19:37.960 --> 00:19:40.960 met before I, strolled up and began to make conversation. 309 00:19:42.440 --> 00:19:47.440 After the usual exchange of pleasantries, he said, I picked 310 00:19:47.480 --> 00:19:50.640 up a ramcyrio on the beach. This go thee thing 311 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:53.160 I never saw done this out of injury before. Why 312 00:19:53.160 --> 00:19:55.720 is that so? Eh? The aid of one of these 313 00:19:55.799 --> 00:19:59.519 poro chips, all ornamented with knife cuts. I see, what's 314 00:19:59.559 --> 00:20:03.039 the matter? Chip, agreed in the face. I wouldn't have 315 00:20:03.079 --> 00:20:06.279 took you for a bit sail. I'm quite all right. 316 00:20:06.359 --> 00:20:06.559 Eh. 317 00:20:06.839 --> 00:20:09.440 Well, this here I was telling you about. He's a 318 00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:12.559 bit queer in a way. I've got it Najoral spirits 319 00:20:12.599 --> 00:20:14.640 in my cabin, you know. I mean, if you don't 320 00:20:14.680 --> 00:20:24.200 float upside down, you're our chip. What's the matter? That 321 00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:25.839 was the last straw. 322 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:32.440 I suppose something seemed to snap in my brain, And 323 00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:34.640 for the rest of the voyage I laid there in 324 00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:39.519 the bunk, staring at the ceiling, and I had. 325 00:20:39.480 --> 00:20:44.400 The strange sensation that the boat was made of glass, transparent. 326 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:48.279 And then I could see up through the ceiling into 327 00:20:48.359 --> 00:20:52.440 the captain's cabin, see the poorer man's face floating in 328 00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:58.680 a jar of alcohol, upside down, grinning at me. Was 329 00:20:58.799 --> 00:21:01.200 the actually head is still in the captain's cabin in 330 00:21:01.279 --> 00:21:04.079 free Town. But it didn't matter that poorer Man's work 331 00:21:04.119 --> 00:21:08.920 had been done by then, because now I carried it 332 00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:18.039 with me everywhere in my brain. I sew it everywhere anywhere. 333 00:21:19.279 --> 00:21:21.720 Any object that was round, like a hat or a 334 00:21:21.799 --> 00:21:24.559 pillar of oars suddenly developed features when I looked at it, 335 00:21:25.720 --> 00:21:31.079 ugly scarred features with a grinning mocking mouth. Features turned 336 00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:36.720 upside down when I when I docked in London, I 337 00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:39.160 went straight to my banker's office in corn here. 338 00:21:39.400 --> 00:21:41.920 And the security is not an order, mister Pollock. You 339 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:43.839 shall have to watch things, of course, but all on oiler. 340 00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:45.920 You shall have enough to live quite comfortably and to 341 00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:50.480 enjoy a reasonable amount of freedom. Then to mm, I say, Pollock, 342 00:21:50.519 --> 00:21:52.359 what are you staring at so fixedly. 343 00:21:53.319 --> 00:21:56.160 That thing hanging from your mantelpiece? 344 00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:58.680 Oh yes, I see the potted fern. Rather pretty one, 345 00:21:58.720 --> 00:22:02.000 isn't it. Oh yes, yes, yes, very I must do 346 00:22:02.039 --> 00:22:04.160 something about it. Though it's always dripping water down on 347 00:22:04.200 --> 00:22:05.279 the fender of the fireplace. 348 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:09.519 Makes it rusty. I was wondering about that. It looks red, 349 00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:11.279 almost like like blood. 350 00:22:11.559 --> 00:22:15.240 Rust You enough, yes, By the way, that reminds me, 351 00:22:15.559 --> 00:22:20.279 can you recommend the physician for mental troubles? I've got 352 00:22:20.279 --> 00:22:24.559 a little uh what do you call it, eh, hallucination? 353 00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:31.200 The poorer man grinned at me fiendously, and I stared 354 00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:33.079 back at him. The banker watched me very crueously for 355 00:22:33.119 --> 00:22:35.279 a moment, and then he gave me the dress. 356 00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:36.599 Of a doctrine. I left his office. 357 00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:40.759 That's when my accident happened. To a man who's been 358 00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:43.559 many months in the jungle of busy London streets, confusing enough, 359 00:22:44.400 --> 00:22:46.759 but when a head comes rolling down the middle of 360 00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:49.039 the street and between your legs. 361 00:22:48.759 --> 00:23:02.400 No wood no. I was in the hospital for weeks. 362 00:23:02.680 --> 00:23:06.400 The only permanent injury, however, was the loss of the 363 00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:12.519 tip of my little finger, my strange coincidence, the same 364 00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:15.359 fingertip of the left hand that i'd shot off the 365 00:23:15.400 --> 00:23:20.359 borer man that first night. Even in the hospital, the 366 00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:24.160 poorer man was with me all the time. Everywhere. The 367 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:27.799 doctors couldn't help me. My friends couldn't either. So I 368 00:23:28.839 --> 00:23:34.119 tried cycling in the country, but that thing kept rolling 369 00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:37.440 along beside me and getting tangled up in the wheels 370 00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:41.680 and spilling me. That's how I've got the broken wrist. 371 00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:49.640 It well. The the worst came only last week. I'd 372 00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:51.599 just come back from a long walk, hoping to be 373 00:23:51.799 --> 00:23:56.039 tired enough to go to sleep as usual. That bronze 374 00:23:56.119 --> 00:23:59.880 vase was over there in front of the big French window, 375 00:24:01.160 --> 00:24:01.920 and it. 376 00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:07.680 Well, perhaps the poor man enjoys the view of the 377 00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:09.359 street three floors below. 378 00:24:10.759 --> 00:24:14.400 Anyway, this night I felt a little devil make care. 379 00:24:14.519 --> 00:24:17.079 So I turned round towards and I looked him in 380 00:24:17.119 --> 00:24:20.319 the eye, and I said, so you're still here, are you, 381 00:24:20.440 --> 00:24:30.839 my ugly shadow? Yes, power, I am still here? What what? Who? 382 00:24:31.400 --> 00:24:37.880 What did you say? I said, I am still here, 383 00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:43.720 and I all ways will be. 384 00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:56.000 No no, no, not that too, not that no no no. 385 00:24:57.920 --> 00:25:03.640 So now you understand I not only see the poorer man, 386 00:25:03.759 --> 00:25:07.640 I hear him too, polla culture. This is frightful. It 387 00:25:07.680 --> 00:25:10.240 is rather, is it? I mean you are ill, man, 388 00:25:10.440 --> 00:25:14.039 very ill. Now, surely there's something someone can do. Some doctor, 389 00:25:14.279 --> 00:25:16.920 can any doctor do? Can he take off the poor 390 00:25:17.079 --> 00:25:20.839 man's pollock? That's nonsense? And you know it is it? 391 00:25:21.000 --> 00:25:24.440 Of course, man, it's all in your mind or what 392 00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:28.359 do they call it? To suggestion? The power of suggestion 393 00:25:28.480 --> 00:25:32.920 is strong. You're impressionable. You let these stories prey on 394 00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:35.240 your mind, and you've got to snap out all I 395 00:25:35.319 --> 00:25:38.200 should have killed him myself. I'd do it too, with 396 00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:40.200 my bare hands, if only I had the child. And 397 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:43.400 you're talking rot. Look at him there, look at him 398 00:25:43.480 --> 00:25:47.279 grinning at me like that's only a bronze vase, always 399 00:25:47.359 --> 00:25:50.440 grinning at me, more and more famously every day. Stop it, 400 00:25:50.519 --> 00:25:59.599 Stop it you devin't stop it yourself? Lie back rest red, Yes, yes, 401 00:26:01.079 --> 00:26:04.720