Speaker 1: The CBS Radio Mystery Theater Presents. Come in, Welcome. I'm
g Marshall. We have a story to tell you which
will take you back in time to a period when
our country was very young, and the country from which
we separated was centuries old. One reason we are Americans
and not Englishmen is that King George the Third was
mad periodically during his early years on the throne, continuously
for the last eleven This eleven year period, known as
the Regency, provides us with the background for the story
that follows. And I must confess maria gratitude seemed very
odd to me.
Speaker 2: It was odd, doctor, unless you understand, understand and accept
her ability to remove herself from this world, remove her health.
Speaker 1: I don't know anyway that that can be done until
death does it for us.
Speaker 3: She says, it's very like death, but a very happy thing.
Speaker 1: It would be pleasant, wouldn't it to think of death
as a happy thing, at least for the one who died?
Speaker 2: But I fancy it is, doctor. It's those who must
live on who suffer, wouldn't you say?
Speaker 1: Our mystery drama The Climbing Boy was written especially for
the Mystery Theater by Elspeth, Eric and Stars. Marion Sodis.
It is sponsored in part by newick Moor Division. I'll
be back shortly with that one. The Regent, who was
not to become George the Fourth till the death of
his mad father in eighteen twenty, was not a wicked man,
nor even a malicious one. It was simply that he
lived exclusively for his own pleasure, and in so doing
set the lifestyle for most Englishmen, at least for those
who could afford it. One who could not afford it
tells us.
Speaker 2: Why had it not been for the deep and abiding
affection I bore Lady Emily. I should never have accepted
her invitation to spend a fortnight at Feathers. I despised
Lord Hollander, and I'm sure he thoroughly reciprocated my feeling.
But her invitation carried more I felt than a desire
to enjoy my company. It held a note of desperation.
I hope, my dear Maria, you will not be put
off by the fact that Lord and Lady Agramont will
also be I guess it is nothing new for Rodney
to bring his mistress into our home, and this time
give the audacity to invite her husband as well. You
know what a foolish, foppish man, Lord Agramont is to
have to sit by and witness Rodney's dalliance with Hester
is bad enough to listen to William's inanities. It is
more than I can endure. And so it was that
I grimly packed my portmanteau and took the coach to Feathers. Maria, Maria,
prod of you to come only for you, my dear,
would I? Oh, Maria, come upstairs and I show you
to your room. Just leave your portmanteau. Tipson will bring
it up, or somebody will come on. Here's your room
right next to mine. Oh oh, it's lovely. Well it's
a bit on the chair side right now, so it's
the whole house for that matter. But Rodney's having the
chimney swept out this morning, and once that's done, we'll
have a great roaring fire going for it. Oh that'll
be lovely. Oh, Maria. I know I'm not giving you
time to settle in or anything, but I had to
talk to you privately. You're the only one I can
talk to. You're my only friend. Really, Emily, dear, don't
urgitate yourself. So of course, you can talk to me,
but I haven't even asked you if you're hungry, if
you want a cup of tea or anything at letter
you're trembling, now, what is it? Of course you you
know how things are between Rodney and me. Yes, I
have some idea, not good hester agramont. She's only the
latest in the long line of mistress's. He's head her
husband doesn't seem to chair and to bring them both
into this house only for the weekend, but that it
should be this weekend, Maria. It's just a year ago
that it happens, you mean, Peter, that we lost him.
Rodney hasn't approached me since that. I hadn't wanted him to.
Oh it's not because he's breathing for our son. Oh no,
it's not that. It's because he's become well, let's say,
weary of me, weary of my spells. He dislikes them intensely.
What spells? You don't have spell alway as I do.
Rodney's right about that, my dead spells, he calls them.
And that's not at all a poor description either, for
I feel very close to death during those spells, Emily,
come mean now I do, But it's a happy feeling.
Believe me, it is that it can be. What on
earth you talking about? It's not a physical death, Maria.
During the spells, I'm here all right, I talk, walk, eat, drink,
and order the servants about and plan meals, all the
things I always do. Only part of me isn't here
at all. Well where is it? I don't know precisely,
but not here? How long has this been going on?
Since Peter died or since shortly after poor little boy?
He was only five years old, Maria, I know, and
I suppose it's in my my dead spells. I'm trying
to be with Peter. I have the feeling that he
needs me.
Speaker 3: And you say this has.
Speaker 2: Been going on for a whole year. Well, the first
one was just under a year ago. I didn't know
what to make of it. I didn't mean to do it,
not the first time. I can go off now any
time I want to. You you want to? You do
it on purpose, oh, Maria, Yes, when I can't bear
it here any longer. It's it's wonderful to have some
place to go. I've ground you that there are times
when I'd like a place to go. But Emily, where
is it that you go. I don't know. Perhaps I
do now, but I I can't talk about it. And
in another world. Who my body is here? My body
with all its faculties, sight, speech, hearing the essence of myself.
It's somewhere else. You make it sound like some sort
of mystical experience. Perhaps it is, Emily. Tell me something when.
Speaker 3: You when you.
Speaker 2: Go somewhace else and yet your body stays here? Yes, well,
can can it? Can you be seen? Is there something,
I mean as there something of you that can be recognized?
I'm not quite sure. One time, when I went off
in the middle of the night, Rodney swear as he
saw a ghost wandering across the lawn, the ghost of
a woman, he said, with long dark hair trailing down
her back nearly to her knees, as yours does. Oh
you and I know there are no ghost. And that night,
being so put out by Rodney's teasing, I know I
wanted him to see me, wanted it intensely that he
should see and understand. I could leave him any time
I wanted to, in the spirit, if not in the flesh. Oh, Emily,
I do hope you know what you're about. I'm able
to live Maria otherwise of the words what who knows?
Speaker 3: Emma vera?
Speaker 2: Yes, who is it?
Speaker 3: William?
Speaker 2: Mother? Is it all right? And of course come in William.
Speaker 3: Ah Tipson said, I might find your here.
Speaker 2: Do you remember, Maria? True William?
Speaker 3: Oh yeah, that's how I o Maria very well?
Speaker 2: And you.
Speaker 1: For I heck about the countryside for an hour of
her nunsion? What you might come with me? Emily hate
to ride alone?
Speaker 2: I'm afraid not. There's so much to be done here.
Speaker 3: Oh, Maria, I don't ride. Ah, that's a pity.
Speaker 2: Well why don't you ask Rodney to accompany you. I'm
sure he'd love.
Speaker 3: To, he would, but he's otherways engaged. Oh, oh, not
what you think, my dear. No, now, his time's being
taken up by some local fellow name of Hardy.
Speaker 1: I believe Hardy had two small boys with him.
Speaker 2: But that Harding the chimney sweep.
Speaker 1: Yes, yes, I believe there was some talk about cleaning
our chimneys.
Speaker 2: But we have a machine for doing that.
Speaker 1: All right, I'm off the stables. See you at the
lonesome tables?
Speaker 2: Can't be He kind of called in Harding we have
a machine. I never heard of a machine for sweeping chimneys. Well,
it isn't really a machine. It's a very very long brush.
You can reach way up the chimney with it. I
had one sent down from London only last week. Well,
let's go downstairs and see what's happening. Yeah. I can't
bear the thought of using these climbing boys. They're so young.
They have to be at least at eight years of age.
That's a law, but they shouldn't be used at all.
There should be a lot of that ef. The Select
Committee has just failed for the third time to pass
a bill like that. It was laughed down in the
House of Lords. Knockdown. What was there to laugh at? Oh?
Someone made what they considered a very funny speech saying
that the climbing boys were like a dose of kalamel
prescribed by a doctor to clean out the system. Notty,
what's going on? I won't not in my house.
Speaker 1: Up you go, my boy, he's you're at this mile Rodney.
Speaker 2: Whatever are you doing? Why aren't you using the long crush?
Speaker 1: Why go past? Semi honey? You sware to me tips
and flatly refused to use the brush. And what was
I to do?
Speaker 2: You could have used it yourself myself. Oh come, you
promised no climbing boy would enter this house.
Speaker 3: Can't you hustle him up a bit harding? He's only
gone up about six feet and stop there?
Speaker 2: What are you going to do?
Speaker 3: Nothing too? Girls?
Speaker 1: Take lady Oranda nearby, knop one out what I'm giving
this aliboy? Pin my idiot coming pitch on earth for
I mean, go up after the little run and give
him a few jags with a pig.
Speaker 2: On feature.
Speaker 3: He had a movie more.
Speaker 2: You can't you can't?
Speaker 3: All right? Oh yeah, well you hit a few jabs
with the pick and do you not take any moving
on up? You know we can.
Speaker 2: Believe what I'm seeing?
Speaker 3: Now? Are you going up there?
Speaker 2: Now?
Speaker 3: Looker?
Speaker 2: What mover?
Speaker 3: Well, I'm off.
Speaker 1: Nobody wants a bit of a cross country right, we're basy, William.
You're having a bit of trouble as over there with
the climbing bars. Everyone wants new torture. Got up a
few feet more march buday. Well, I've got a way
to fix that, saw Donald. Lady Millburn's a week ago, William?
Speaker 2: What are you doing?
Speaker 1: I've got a little bit of hay here. I was
saving it to give to my horse.
Speaker 2: You're not liking you cross.
Speaker 3: Now let's set a little something. Let's see what we've
got here. Here's a few pages from London. Lett it bluf.
Speaker 1: If he doesn't want his teek burnt to a christ,
go to your Rulely.
Speaker 3: Is he moving?
Speaker 4: Oh he must be god he found Oh my god, Oh,
poor boy.
Speaker 1: Man's inhumanity to man all true, dear listener. And it
all happened just this way. Yes, small boys who had
no one to protect them, no parents, no friends, no
one who cared, and no government. So it went in
merry England during the reign of the Prince of Pleasure.
I'll be back shortly with that too. The last we
heard from our climbing boy was not a spoken word.
Indeed we have yet to hear him speak at all. No,
it was a sound of his small body crashing down
the chimney of Lord Rodney Hollander's country estate, after pins
had been stuck into his dangling legs in an effort
to force him further up the chimney, and as a
last resort, a fire had been lighted beneath him. Now
it is an hour later, and luncheon is being served.
Speaker 3: Well everly she should be here as she's upstairs, I
believe doing what I believe. She's with the boy the
climbing bar.
Speaker 2: The one who fell down the chimney. He didn't fall,
He simply let go and dropped. Why didn't she send
him home with harding? I believe she's giving him a
bath of what a bath?
Speaker 3: You said? A bath?
Speaker 2: Whatever wore?
Speaker 1: I've always on the Soviet time, A boys never be
It makes sense now, doesn't it.
Speaker 3: You will excuse me upstairs, but there's a saddle of
mutton coming, Marie.
Speaker 2: I've had enough. Thank you. I'll be with Emily.
Speaker 3: I'm not sure madas a sort of friend, Emily should
cultivate Rodney. I know what can I do? Emily is
very set in her ways.
Speaker 2: Dear boy, I'm going to have to let your soak
in the warm water. The dirt is ground into your skin.
I'm afraid to scrub any harder.
Speaker 3: Just sit here?
Speaker 2: May I thank you? What's your name? M You don't know?
Is that what you're trying to tell me?
Speaker 1: It is?
Speaker 3: Well?
Speaker 2: Why don't we give you a name? Would you like that?
How would you like to be called? Well?
Speaker 3: How about Peter?
Speaker 2: Do you like that? For a name. What you do,
then we shall call you Peter. Peter shall be your name,
very uh, Maria, I was just talking to the boy here.
He's not very talkative himself, but I expect that because
he's shy. Are you shy? Peter? I don't think he
knows the word. Oh, there's so much he doesn't know.
Speaker 3: Uh, Peter.
Speaker 2: If that's to be your name for the time being,
at least, how old are you? Yes, darling?
Speaker 3: How old do you know? I?
Speaker 2: You're eight years old? Yes? Eight? Hurria, I don't believe it.
Fight Look that tiny body. He's not a choose old.
He looks more to be like five or even four.
His occupation does not encourage growth. However, you're not really
eighty years old, are.
Speaker 3: You, Peter? Yes?
Speaker 2: I I.
Speaker 3: He's just been told.
Speaker 2: To say that, threatened. Probably he's about the age my
boy with me had he lived. Well, let's get on
with his bath, shall we. It's going to take a
month of soaking before you'll get rid of this dirt,
wand of crust all over him him heavens all may
what do they give you to eat? Yes, Peter, dear,
what does mister Harding feed you? Tell me? I want
to know. Please, nothing, nothing is that possible, O Marie.
Fetch him some milk and whatever else you think that
it is? Maybe some of the luncheon. Soon, Yes, do hurry, Peter,
you shall have some nice, rich, fresh milk right from
our own sweet cows. You like that, won't you? Won't you?
I don't believe you know what milk is? Is that possible?
I've come to fetch some milk. She's with the boy.
The milk's for the boy. The boy, Maria, I forbid it. Nevertheless,
this is my house, it's my milk, and I forbid it.
Nobody feeds the climbing boys, Maria. There's first of fin
for themselves.
Speaker 3: Rodney.
Speaker 2: These boys are sold to the older men who use them.
Not only that, they're often kidnapped.
Speaker 3: Oh, I can't believe. Well, it's quite cool. You know
the story of the Strickland Boy, don't you? Strickland the
Stricklands from Manchester.
Speaker 2: As a climing boy came crashing down the chimney of
a home they were visiting, A tiny boy and very handsome,
and the Stricklands took him home with him.
Speaker 3: Ah, it's mistake, grave mistake right there, and when.
Speaker 2: The boy saw the silver forks the stricklands use. He
cried out, my papa has forks like this.
Speaker 3: No whir.
Speaker 2: And the boy said the Lord's prayer each night without
being taught it.
Speaker 3: Ah, this is boy of good family.
Speaker 2: Yes, And then the story came out after some investigation.
The boy's mother was dead, the father was traveling abroad,
and the child had been left in the care of
an uncle. The Gypsies abducted him and sold him to
a sweep for ten guineas. And that boy was four
years old four.
Speaker 3: Ah, yes, that's very young.
Speaker 2: Well, if you'll take a look at the boy in
the tub upstairs, you'll conclude that he could be four
years old five at the very most. And now, if
you'll excuse me, I'll fetch the milk. I put him
in my bed, Maria, poor little boy. He looks so frail,
doesn't he. He couldn't take the milk, or perhaps I
should have heated it. I sent for doctor Carruthers.
Speaker 3: If you don't eat, you'll die.
Speaker 2: Do you know that.
Speaker 3: You do?
Speaker 2: What did he say? He doesn't say anything. He just
nods his head. What does that mean, I'd say it
means he wants to die, Peter. That's not what you want,
is it? My die? You want to live in glow up,
to be a fine, strong boy and have a wonderful life.
Don't don't turn your head away. Please please look at me. Now.
You're not going to die. I'm not going to let
you die.
Speaker 3: Too bad, lady Emily had to miss that's superb dinner.
Speaker 1: There was no need for her to miss it. Emily's
very stubborn sometimes, yes, I see, that makes it quite
difficult for me, you understand. For I swear that woman
gets more pecuniar all the time, but were peculiar when
she has these spills.
Speaker 3: You know, I'd say, hold on, I do believe Emily
is coming down.
Speaker 1: Oh my dear, I'm glad you could join us.
Speaker 2: Maria, she said, the boy we're expecting, doctor carrub it.
Momentarily you sent for corrobbers in Heaven's name. Why because
the boy is ill? But you should have.
Speaker 3: Sent him back to Harding. Let Harding look after him.
Speaker 2: It's because of Harding the boy is ill.
Speaker 3: Oh nonsense, Rodney, Hardney.
Speaker 2: I want to adopt this boy.
Speaker 3: Adopt him.
Speaker 2: He's just about the age Peter would be. Now, that's
what Maria thinks, and so do I.
Speaker 3: He needs care.
Speaker 2: And love and all sorts of things I can give him,
and that he's not going to get from anyone else.
He goes on with the life he's been leading.
Speaker 3: Dear Emily, I know your tender heart, but why should
you give him anything? He's not your responsibility.
Speaker 2: I know that I want to make him my responsibility.
I want to adopt him. Rodney.
Speaker 3: Oh no, it's out of the question. Try it.
Speaker 2: Out of the question.
Speaker 3: Simply is I have no desire for a son not
my own I have. We know nothing at all about
this boy.
Speaker 2: We could ask Hardy, We could ask him from whom
he bought him or stolen him. No, no, no, him
might find out something interesting, Rodney. Now, Maria, kindly keep up.
I just wanted to remind you of the Stricklands. They
adopted that boy, they educated him. Yes, did you see Arouney,
We could do the same.
Speaker 3: I don't know.
Speaker 2: That must be the doctor I saw his trap puller. Oh,
let him in, Marie, and take him upstairs, will you?
Of course, I shall have Broughtney. Please do this one
thing for me. Please in here, doctor Cravis.
Speaker 3: Uh after you.
Speaker 1: It's true, this is the patient. Yes, this is not
not Lady Emily's boy.
Speaker 2: No, he's a climbing boy who was brought here to
sweep out the chimneys.
Speaker 3: Why this boy is half dead already? Why wasn't I
called sooner?
Speaker 2: Only we didn't know he felled down the chimney.
Speaker 3: No more than four five.
Speaker 2: I say, we get him some milk that he couldn't
keep it down.
Speaker 3: He hasn't had milk in a long time. He ever
the boys dying, It's.
Speaker 2: True, but he can't. He can't die.
Speaker 3: There's nothing I can do these climbing boys. There's no
hope for him.
Speaker 2: But there must be something you can do.
Speaker 3: A die of exposure of bad food or no food,
of burns, beatings, over work. Most of all, I say,
they the die of a wish to die.
Speaker 2: That's what Emilena. Yeah, we were saying. He didn't seem
to want to live.
Speaker 3: Would you?
Speaker 1: Would you want to live his life? Their lungs are
filled with mortar and soot that blinds them, chokes them.
Most of them develop asthma or some other respiratory condition.
Their needs and that was a bruised terrible.
Speaker 2: It's also terrible.
Speaker 1: Crime is true to you and All the climbing boys
have been sent up chimneys that were already on fire.
I think our climbing boy his breathe is last, mister,
don't grieve. He's better off.
Speaker 2: But Lady Hollander was going to adopt. She's below stairs
now talking to her husband.
Speaker 1: I'm sorry the boy couldn't be shaved. Perhaps a year ago,
who knows.
Speaker 5: I don't know how to tell her. She lost her
own little boy just five years ago. The boy named Peter,
wasn't she started to call this squan Peter. He didn't
seem to know his own name.
Speaker 2: Maria. I brought Rodney up to see the boy. Doctor carrathers,
thank you for.
Speaker 3: Coming, Lady Hollander, how are you, colors?
Speaker 2: What's the matter? Doctor?
Speaker 1: Boy is dead, Lady Honda, when you say he's dead, yes, Rodney, Well,
a good thing we didn't go ahead with what we
were talking about, isn't it.
Speaker 3: The boy must not have had a decent constitution, hey.
Speaker 1: Doctor, he wasn't very strong, or we'd have had all
sorts of trouble with him, wouldn't we if we'd adopted him.
Speaker 3: Hey, we were thinking of it.
Speaker 1: Probably you would have had yes, Well, one damn thing
after another.
Speaker 3: That's what it would have been. Williemley leave her alone? Rodney?
Speaker 1: Which is all right, aren't you? I'm all right, lady Honda.
How are you all right?
Speaker 2: Doctor Carruthers. I'm so sorry we got you over here
to new purpose. Won't you stay for supper? I think
it's roast beef tonight? Please stay, doctor, You could spend
the night. It is well if you like, Please, doctor,
I'd so like to talk to you.
Speaker 3: Oh, very kind settled.
Speaker 2: Come doctor, I'll show you to your room. I'll get
tips and to make it up for you.
Speaker 3: That's most kind of you. Lady.
Speaker 1: She's gone off again, one of her big spills.
Speaker 3: Blast. Why should I have to put up with this?
Speaker 2: Come to the window, Rodney. I want to show you something.
Speaker 3: Eh, what is it?
Speaker 2: Look down there among the yew trees. Well, I don't
see anything, you don't. It's the outline of a woman.
She's holding a small boy by the hand, and now
she's leaning over and he's whispering something in her ear
and she's nodding her head. Pity you can't see it.
It's very clear to me.
Speaker 1: You'll remember that Lady Emily Hollander had or believed she
had the ability to make herself seen by whomever she
wished during the so called spells. Why then, is her
outline so distinct this time to Maria, while Lord Hollander
sees nothing. We shall try to bring you the most
cogent answer of which we are capable when we come
back with Act three. The climbing boy is dead, dead
at a very tender age, no more than five dead,
at almost the very moment when a new life might
have dawned for him under the tender care of Lady
Emily Hollander. Dead before he had hardly experienced life at all.
Now let our story be carried forward by the woman
who began it, Miss Maria.
Speaker 2: True supper that evening was a horror. Emily sat at
the head of the table and conversed in a manner
that could only signify that she was having one of
her dead sparrows. As her husband turned them most assuredly.
She was not the Emily who had been my dear
friend for so many years. Doctor Carruthers and I maintained
silence for the most part. It wasn't till we had
left the table that I could draw him aside. Doctor Caruthers.
Could we take a stroll on the veranda. I do
need to talk to you.
Speaker 3: O course, he's true. I have for you.
Speaker 2: Thank you, doctor Curuthers. I want to assure you that
the woman you saw tonight presiding over the dinner table
is not Emily, is not Lady Hollanda.
Speaker 3: Uh oh. It was her body, of course, but she
was not in it. I don't think I'm following you.
The spirit is elsewhere.
Speaker 1: Yes, I can fess her attitude when we were forced
to tell her the boy had died was not all
that I had expected, particularly when you had told me
she was considering adoption. It seemed very odd.
Speaker 3: It was very odd.
Speaker 2: And this unless you understand and accept Lady Holland's ability to.
Speaker 3: Remove herself from this world remove for shelf I I
don't know any way that can be done until death
does it for us.
Speaker 2: So she told me only this morning that it's very
like death, it seems close to death, but that it's
a very happy thing.
Speaker 1: It would be pleasant, wouldn't it to think of death
as a happy thing, at least for the one.
Speaker 3: Who But Lady Hollander obviously does not. Ah.
Speaker 1: Only her mind seems to stray away, not her mind, doctor,
her soul, as I stand correctly.
Speaker 2: Oh, I'm so grateful you consented to stay, Doctor Caruthers.
I saw he needed someone to talk to. Now there's
one more thing. Yes, after you and Lady Hollander left
the room this afternoon, Lord Hollander, and I were there alone,
and I chanced to be standing by the window and
looking out, and I saw. I hesitate to tell you
because you'll think me daft, not you, is true. I saw.
Speaker 3: A woman by the yew trees, yes, and a small child,
little boy. Oh yes, what was there about that to
perturb you.
Speaker 2: It's my belief, doctor, against my best judgment, against my
common sense. It is my belief that as soon as
Lady Hollander heard of the death of the climbing boy,
her spirit, her soul, if you like, withdrew withdrew from
the room of death and went outside under the yew trees.
And there she met well who knows, the soul of
her son Peter were the soul of the climbing boy.
So one way or another, we got through that dreadful evening,
everyone prepared to retire for the night.
Speaker 1: I suppose, Lord Hollando, you have made arrangements for the
disposal of the body.
Speaker 3: You mean the climbing boy.
Speaker 1: Oh yes, as hiding came over and took it away
just before supper, all taken cat up. Now, I must
say Harding was put out. He had great expectations for
that boy, just the right size and all for Chimney's weeping.
Still couldn't have helped aspose.
Speaker 2: I could not fall asleep. The awful events of the
day crowded in on me. The sight of the boy's
puny body in the tin tub of water flashed over
and over again before my eyes.
Speaker 3: The words of doctor.
Speaker 6: Carruthers, wish boy s half dead already.
Speaker 3: Echoed in my head. His sad tongue climbing boys.
Speaker 6: There's no hope for him, A die of exposure, a
bad fool, no food, a world. Most of all, I'd
shade a die.
Speaker 3: I wish to.
Speaker 2: Die, small one that I could not sleep, small wonder.
In the wee hours of the morning, I was the
first to smell the smoke. It was unmistakable. It was
the smell of smoke, and not too far away. I
sprang from my bed, seized my wrapper, and ran to
the door of my robe. Smoke thick, acrid smoke was
gray clouds from one of the rooms, in the room
of my host, Lord Brodney Hollander. I opened my mouth
to all. At once I saw through the whirling smoke
a figure, a woman leaving Lord Hollander's bedroom, and with
a great effort and concentration she was so she was
dragging a limp and prostrate.
Speaker 3: Bobby with her.
Speaker 2: It was emmia. At last, I found my voice and
screamed the general opening the doors along the corridor brought around.
The fire was extinguished in due time. The servants headed
black tips and accomplished it with the most part. Doctor Crabbers
and I both admired their fearlessness.
Speaker 1: There wasn't much but smoke in the room. The actual
fire was confined to the chimney.
Speaker 2: Then Rodney died of the smoke yees suffocation.
Speaker 3: There was nothing to be done to him, one art
douce of Haard. What was that? Doctor? His feet was singed,
The bottoms of his feet had been burned. What do
you make of that?
Speaker 1: I mean, since the fire never really reached out into
the room.
Speaker 2: Well, I'm sure I can't explain it.
Speaker 3: Doctor. If you can't, what about lady agramont what about us? You?
She'll be all right.
Speaker 2: She was found in the hall, wasn't She was.
Speaker 3: Just outside her own room.
Speaker 1: I suppose she was the first to smell the smoke
and came out to invest.
Speaker 2: But then, why didn't she cry out?
Speaker 3: Didn't you?
Speaker 2: I didn't hear her.
Speaker 3: Or somebody cried out. That's what roused me.
Speaker 2: Yes, that's true, someone did it. I had one more
chance to speak with Emily. She was still in one
of her so called dense spells. Yet there were moments
when she seemed the same Emily. I always know. Can't
you stay for her a bit, Maria, or I must
go up to London. Emily, tend to a few matters,
matters of importance, by dear, Otherwise I wouldn't leave you.
But the good doctor corrupt does stay on for a
day or two, and by the time he leaves, I'll
be back good Hester and Willie have already left.
Speaker 3: I know.
Speaker 2: I'm glad.
Speaker 3: Why did you do it, Emily? Do what?
Speaker 2: I was the first to discover the smoke, you know,
that is the first after you. That's how I happened
to see you dragging Hester's body out of Rodney's room.
Uh uh, you saw that, Why did you do it? Well,
it wouldn't have been proper, now, would it for people
to find out that Hester shared Rodney's bed. No, Rodney
would have hated that. But even so, why didn't you
cry out as soon as you saw the smoke? No
matter where it was coming from. Oh, I know very
well where it was coming from before I saw it,
even before I smelled it. But how could you How
could you have known I was waiting for it?
Speaker 3: Whatever do you mean?
Speaker 2: I've been told told? What told that there would be
a fire in that particular Chimney at precisely three fifteen
in the morning? But who could have told you? Why?
The climbing boy, Maria? He told me, And then I
remembered standing in the room where the boy lay dead.
I heard Rodney's voice as I had heard it.
Speaker 3: Then, damn, Why should I have to put up with this? Maria?
Why should I come to the window? Rodney?
Speaker 2: I want you to see something. What is it to
look down there among the yew trees?
Speaker 3: Well, I don't see anything.
Speaker 2: It's the outline of a woman. She's holding a small
boy by the hand. Now she's leaning over and he's
whispering something in her ear, and she is nodding her head.
Was that when the climbing boy had told Emily that
there would be a fire in Rodney's chimney at three
fifteen in the morning, I would have plenty.
Speaker 3: To ponder on my journey up to London.
Speaker 2: Emily herself put me in the carriage which would take
me to the stage coach. Goodnye, my dear. I'll see
you in a few days. Yes, that will be good.
And then we must make plans. Plans for your future.
Oh yeah, plans. You won't want to stay here, I
don't know. Perhaps you'll try London for a while. You
can stay with me. I have room. We'll talk about it.
Good Bye, my dear, good Bye Maria, come back soon. Well,
I thought to myself, I've accomplished something for my friends. Now,
I thought, as we drove past the broad Landers, if
only I can get her interested in the reform movement,
there's hope for her. But then, as the carriage picked
up speed, we passed the Rose Garden and came to
the clump of yew trees, and there I saw her.
I saw Emily. Well, rather, I saw the outline of Emily.
I called to the coachman to stop. Yes, one could
say the figure was made of vapor or a stem,
and yet its dimensions and form were very clear, and
down its back hung long dark hair almost to its knees.
I stared and stared until the horses grew impatient. But
I saw something else. I saw a tiny figure of
a boy, and then the figure of another boy. There
were two of them, and both were running fast, fast,
and she held out her arms, and they both ran
into them, and she held them close, and she laughed
and very loud. And then as I stared, the strangest
thing of a lorcers. Two boys and she was holding
in her arms, looked at each other, though still loving,
And even as I stared, they became one boys. Lee
was laughing and Emily was laughing and holding him and
rocking him in her arms, and they laughed together for
the sheer joy of being together. And I knew, having
no all.
Speaker 3: Probability, Emily would never come up to London. A sad story,
was it? Not?
Speaker 1: A boy dead, a man too, a woman not quite right, well,
not quite right.
Speaker 3: Mentally, A very sad story really, yet ending in laughter.
How can that be? Well?
Speaker 6: Know?
Speaker 1: But this we wish for you, dear faithful listener, that
whatever the sadnesses that enter your life, you will find
somewhere in some manner, the lightning, the livining sound of laughter.
Speaker 3: I'll be back shortly. Our story of the.
Speaker 1: Climbing Boy took place, as we have neglected to tell you,
in the year of our Lord, eighteen nineteen, in another
country than ours, at a time when men laughed in
parliament at the fact that little boys were sent up chimneys.
It is another time now and another place. Things are
different now here, But are they. If you think so,
you haven't been paying attention. Our cast included Marion Soeldis
e v Justter Court Benson and Ian Martin. The entire
production was under the direction of Hymen Brown and now
a preview of our next tale. He's in jail, jail,
why what for? I suppose for smuggling. Smuggling.
Speaker 2: That's impossible, that it has been a mistake, I'm sure
of it.
Speaker 3: We have to get a hold of Arthur Klemon. I
already did, but doesn't he practice that kind of law.
You'll get someone else if he can't handle it.
Speaker 2: Handle.
Speaker 7: What all I know is Ted called me and they
allowed them one phone please Bert get to it. Well,
he said Bert, I'm being accused of smuggling. Call Arthur
and then tell Myra.
Speaker 2: But what is he accused of smuggling?
Speaker 7: Heroin or cocaine? I'm not sure they founded in his
a Tashare case. But it's all a mistake, a terrible mistake.
Or else it's a joke, a very bad joke.
Speaker 1: This is E. G. Marshall inviting you to return to
our Mystery Theater for another advent venture in the macabre.
Speaker 3: Until next time, pleasant dreams.