Now, Roma Wines present...
Suspense!
Tonight, the Fountain plays, starring Charles Lawton.
Suspense is presented for your enjoyment by Roma Wines.
Roma Wines, that's R-O-M-A, Roma Wines.
Those excellent California wines that can add so much pleasantness to the way you live.
To your happiness and entertaining guests.
To your enjoyment of everyday meals.
Yes, right now a glass full would be very pleasant, as Roma Wines bring you...
Suspense!
This is the man in black, here for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California.
Who tonight from Hollywood bring an old friend at these proceedings.
Mr. Charles Lawton, as star of an unusual murder study by his distinguished compatriot, Miss Dorothy L. Sayers.
Called the Fountain Plays.
It deals with the fortunes and misfortunes of a middle class Englishman, of the name of Spiller.
Lives on a little country estate with a cook and a manservant.
And in the garden, yes, a fountain.
So with the performance of Charles Lawton as Mr. Ochibald Spiller, we again hope to keep you in...
Suspense!
Now they've missed us, Spiller, what about it?
All right, hey, look out there, Sam.
Look out for what?
Still as blind as a bed, aren't you, Sam?
You really ought to wear glasses, you know.
Don't you try and put me off.
I was only trying to keep you from getting your clothes wet, Sam.
You almost walked right into the spray of the fountain.
Well, never you mind what I need glasses, and never mind your blasted fountain, neither.
I want a straight answer to my question, Mr. Spiller.
I've given you an answer, I've told you.
You've given me nothing but bluff and bluster.
Do I get it all, don't I? That's what I want to know, and if I don't...
My dear fellow, please, my guests are arriving. I'll talk to you tonight.
You'd better talk straight. It'll be your last chance, my lad.
Hello! Hello there, everybody.
We're just in time for a little refreshment.
Master said we'd find you here, Daddy. I hope we're not interrupting.
Oh, certainly not, certainly not.
You know Mr. Gooch, don't you, my dear?
Yes, of course.
And this is my neighbour, Mrs. Digby, Mr. Gooch.
How do you do, Mr. Gooch?
And Ronald Padford, my daughter's fiancée.
How do you do, sir?
How do you?
Well, I was just showing Mr. Gooch the wonders of my little fountain.
Oh, Daddy, you do make such a fuss over this fountain.
Even so, I always say there's nothing like a bit of ornamental water to set a place off.
Sort of like the Versailles garden, what?
Oh, it's really lovely, Mr. Spiller, and so secluded,
with the rhododendrons and the lilac help all around.
You like it, eh? You know, I was thinking of cutting out some of these lilacs.
Oh, I wouldn't.
To make a vista, so to speak. You can't even see it from the house
with these bushes and all four sides.
Well, now, perhaps that might add something.
But if you like the lilacs, Mrs. Ziegve, the lilacs shall stay.
Oh, Mr. Spiller, I'm no authority, I'm sure.
Well, if you want an authority, I'd say it's a mess.
Plus, the backstop and all, a mess, see?
A mess.
Oh, maybe Mr. Gooch means the way the backstop arches up above the spray.
It rather overshadows it.
Well, I have to have that, you know, my dear,
because prevailing winds from the south...
Don't you feel how nice and warm it is tonight?
It would blow the jet of water right onto the grass.
If it weren't for that backstop, we'd have a proper swamp over there.
Wasteful, too.
Well, I'm glad to know that.
You always were a fool, aren't you?
Squandering money on a fountain.
No, no, no, indeed.
It uses the same water over and over again.
Like the one in Schofalger Square. Most ingenious, really.
Why, isn't that a wonderful idea?
Of course, I have to be careful, of course, even so,
to turn it off every night to save leakage and waste and so on.
Mr Spiller, sir. Dinner is served.
Oh, thank you, masters.
Well, what do you say, everybody? Ready for a bit of dinner?
I should say, sir...
Shall we go in, then?
Why, Mr Spiller, your modest little fountain,
when you're past the bushes, all at once you can scarcely hear it.
Yes, it's quite impossible to hear it from the house.
Of course, can't hear it at all.
And what I said is, you see, you're not Napoleon either.
Is that your dinner, sir?
Yes, thank you, masters.
An excellent dinner. My compliments to the cook.
Yes, sir.
And coffee in the drawing room, masters.
Very good, sir.
Well, shall we adjourn?
Shall we what?
Oh, go into the drawing room, you know.
Quite a talk, ain't you, Archie?
Big change from the old days, adjourn to the drawing room.
What would you think, Mr Spiller, about a rubber or two of bread?
That's an excellent suggestion, Mrs Stigley, excellent.
Good thing I don't play in it, Archie.
See, I'm counted up before the start.
Oh, Mr Gooch, I'm so sorry. Do take my place.
I'm really very tired.
No, thanks. We don't play bridge where I come from.
Another did, Archie.
Although I see he picked it up quick enough once he...
Yes, yes, yes. It's never too late to learn, you know.
Oh, mind you don't play too long.
I want to talk to you before this night's over, my lad.
Yes, yes, yes, of course, Sam.
I'll be waiting for you up at your precious fountain,
absorbing the beauties of your precious moonlight.
And I don't want to wait too long, see?
Right you are, old boy.
Yeah, where's the fellow masters?
Was there something you wished, sir?
Yes, a handful of those coronas.
Only the best for your old pals, eh, Archie?
Yes, yes, of course.
Yes, yes, of course. See you later, folks.
Maybe.
Well, Mrs Stigley, shall it be you and me against the youngsters?
Daddy.
Yes, dear?
Will you tell me why you put up with that man?
Gooch? Oh, no, no, no. He's not a bad sort, really.
He is a bad sort. He's a rude, unpleasant, terrible man.
Well, he's an old friend, you know. Not much a chap can do.
Oh, no, of course not.
Daddy, you're so soft-hearted. But if you can't do anything, I can.
No, no, no, please, dear. He'll be gone in a day or two.
In high time. What does he mean, talking to you that way in your own home?
Shall we cut for deal?
Yes, shall I?
Well, I don't care. You shan't put me off.
This is the last time that man's going to come into this house.
I wish it were.
Boreish, nasty. I just can't stand him, Daddy.
Come now, dear. He's not as unpleasant as all that.
What? The only time he'll ever be pleasant is in his grave, that's what.
Oh, dear. What an awful thing to say.
What a perfectly dreadful thing to say.
Tonight for Suspense, Roma wines are bringing you as star Mr Charles Lawton,
whom you have heard in the first act of The Fountain Plays, tonight's tale of suspense.
I have an interesting idea for you tonight from the keen and sensible mind of America's famed expert on parties and smart entertaining, Miss Elsa Maxwell, and I quote,
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And now it is with pleasure that we bring back to our soundstage Charles Lawton as Mr. Ochibald Spiller in The Fountain Plays,
a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
Of course, sir, we have a very pleasant garden, Mrs. Digby, and I don't know anything that's given me such enjoyment as that fountain.
Do you know that it uses the same water over and over again? Yes?
It shows you, doesn't it, Mrs. Digby? The simpler pleasures are best. Oh, that's so true.
Oh, well, here we are. It's been such a lovely evening, Mr. Spiller. Oh, yes.
And it was so nice of you to walk me home. Oh, it's my pleasure, I assure you, Mrs. Digby.
You know, I've been thinking, I'm very lucky to have found a neighbor like you at my time of life. I mean...
Maybe it's not luck at all. It's fate, you mean.
Mrs. Digby, may I call you Rosalind? Oh, of course.
And you call me Ochibald. Silly name, only one I've got, though. Why, I think it's a very nice name.
Do you? Well, you know, I've been thinking that it was true when I said tonight that the place will be needing a new host as soon.
With Betty getting married, you mean. Oh, you must be very happy for her.
I am, but what I mean is... I mean, what I mean is that, well, we're both alone in the world now.
Yes. And, uh, Rosalind, there's something I want to talk to you about soon. I can't just now.
There are arrangements I have to make, but I want to talk to you very seriously.
I'll always be here, you know, but it's late now. Yes, it is, yes. Well, good night, Rosalind.
It has been a lovely evening. Good night. Good night, Ochibald.
Ah, Masters. Where is everybody? Mr. Ronald left five or ten minutes ago, sir. Miss Elizabeth has retired.
Oh, well. Is Mr. Gooch still in the garden? I couldn't say, sir. Shall I go and see him?
No, no, never mind. You cut along to bed now. I'll lock up.
Very good, sir. Oh, by the way, has the fountain turned off? Yes, sir. I turned it off myself at half past ten, seeing that you were engaged, sir.
That's fine. Well, good night, Masters. Good night, sir. Oh, good family. Oh, hello there. I was just coming out to look for you. Hello. Have a nice evening.
Nice evening. Not as nice an evening as you had with your bludgeon little widow. That's enough of that now, Sam. Oh, it is, is it?
That's enough, is it? That's a good one. Would you think I am talking to me like that? One of your ruddy servants? Well, I'm not. I'm the boss here. Get that into your head. I'm the boss and you know it.
All right, all right, all right, Sam. But let's buzz off to bed now. We'll talk it all over in the morning.
No. We'll talk it about it right now, Mr. Spiller. I'm short of cash. It's high time you kicked him with some more.
Look here, Sam. I pay you your allowance as we agreed and you stay here whenever you like. But that is all.
Oh, it is, is it? Getting pretty iron mighty, aren't you, number 41632?
Shh, Sam. Quiet for heaven's sake.
You're in a fine spot to tell me what you're going to do, aren't you? Quiet, quiet. The servants, my dear. Quiet, petty, my dear. Oh, Mr. Ronald Flapdoodle, whatever his name is.
Really, Sam, you're quite impossible this evening. Impossible, eh? Impossible. But I'm not an escaped jailbird, am I? I'm not liable to be all decked to work out ten years' hard labour for forgery, am I?
Quiet. Look here, Sam. I'll give you a little extra. This once.
And when I think a man like me was only in for a short stretch anyway and worked it out all good and proper, depended on the charity. Charity, mind you, of a pal who's rolling in wealth.
I am not rolling in wealth and you know it. But if you'll promise me faithfully that this is the last time.
Sure, I'll promise. For an old pal, I'll promise anything. Just give me 5,000 down.
5,000?
That's right. We've got a great opportunity. All I need is a little ready cash.
Don't you be an idiot, Sam. Where do you think I'm going to lay my hands on that much just like that? Now, look, I'll give you a check for 500.
Ah, trying to renegan an old pal, eh? I said 5,000 and 5,000 it is. Or you'll find yourself back on the rock pile.
I tell you, I haven't got it.
Haven't got it. Got enough to go by in fancy fountains or playing around with a widow next door?
You leave, Mrs. Digby, out of this.
I'll leave her out of it, all right? I'll leave the old front to you.
Oh, yeah!
Sorry I had to do that. I told you that was enough of that, and I meant it.
Now pull yourself together and go to bed. I'll talk to you in the morning. Do you hear me?
Sam? Sam? Ah, come on, I didn't hit you that hard.
Get up on your feet now. Sam? Sam?
Oh, I've killed him.
What was that?
Oh, it's just the old clock.
Eh? Eleven o'clock. Seven hours, eight hours perhaps until they find him.
Of course he hit his head when he fell, but the police won't care about that,
and they'll take fingerprints and they'll find out I was number 41632.
No. What you need is an alibi.
And they'll... If I could confuse them.
An alibi. An alibi, that's it.
Make it seem he was alive when he was already dead.
First you have to fix the time, haven't you?
The time, the time, the time, the time.
Well, you've got to make it earlier.
Say 10.30 while everybody was playing bridge.
If he could have died sometime before that, but how do I prove it?
What happened at 10.30? What happened at 10.30? What happened at 10.30?
Oh, yes. The fountain. Masters in the fountain. That's right, the fountain, yes.
The fountain. Now I know what to do.
Go out into the garden, turn on the fountain,
then go down the garden path and call him, call him by his name.
Sam! Sam! Gooch! Gooch!
I think that'll do for them. I'm going to go back to the house.
Say I looked for him and I didn't find him, that it was dark, the moon had gone down.
Yes, but now, how do I move him?
How do I... That's right, the wheelchair. The wheelchair.
It used to be Mrs. Spillett's. I remember how she...
It's not time to think of her now. I'm going to try and lift him into it.
I would never have thought that old Sam was as heavy as this.
Now, out of the other door, but quietly this time,
I wish the wheelchair wouldn't make so much noise.
Down the back path, a careful boy, hold on to yourself.
I feel like running. I feel as though every window in the house was filled with faces watching.
Well, here we are.
I've got to lift him up again.
Lay him down on the edge of the fountain.
Put one hand in the water.
Put the bruise on his head, right up against the stone corner of the basin,
to the right. It's better.
He was half blind anyway and he fell.
And now it's done.
What's that? He's alive.
Gooch is alive.
After all that trouble, after committing practically the perfect crime, and he's alive.
It's all right. It's all right.
Sam? Sam? Wait a minute.
Bring him to life again. More blackmail for the rest of your life.
What about Mrs. Digby? Nice, comfortable Mrs. Digby.
Rosalind. What about Betty?
She at least deserves something.
No, it's better to murder. All right, murder it's going to be.
He's dead already as far as the rest of the world is concerned.
Now, come here.
Now or never. This place is hot by the water's edge. Push him under.
Stand up.
Now it's done. Now it's done, Mr. Spiller.
I suppose I ought to feel remorse. Why should I feel remorse?
Does the mouse feel remorse that the cat's killed? No.
Does the prisoner feel remorse when he leaves his prison? No.
It's done and it's well done. There's nothing left but the finishing touches now.
Well, we take back the wheelchair, let the fountain run another hour, and then to bed.
Why should I feel remorse? No, it's just congratulations a bit more like it.
Yes, that's right. Congratulations, old man.
Doesn't it turn cold?
Inspector Frampton, sir. Oh, yes, sir. Come in, Inspector. Come in.
I used to trouble you, Mr. Spiller, about regulations, you know. Oh, of course, yes.
Everyone here who was present the night of, well, that is, last night.
Yes, Inspector, this is Mrs. Digme. She's my neighbour, my daughter Elizabeth,
and her fiancé, Mr. Rummel, Proudfoot, and the servants, of course.
Excellent. Well, now, if you'll all bear with me, I have to ask you a few questions, you know.
Now, there was a blow on the head. Oh?
As I understand it, the deceased was last seen alive at about 8.30, just after dinner.
Let me see you. You were the last to see him, ain't me, man? Yes, sir. I believe so, sir.
You showed him the way to the fountain in the garden, eh? At his request, yes, sir.
I believe the deceased gentleman's eyesight was rather bad. Yes, terribly bad.
And that was the last time he was seen alive by any of you, eh? Yes, that's right, Inspector.
The four of you then played cards, I believe. Until what time? Until about 10.30.
And no one left the room during those two hours?
Then, Mr. Spiller, you accompanied Mrs. Digme to her home. That's correct, Mrs. Digme? Yes, Inspector.
Now, when you returned, you were met in the old barry, Masters. What time was that, Masters?
About 10.45, sir. And Mr. Spiller at that time inquired after Mr. Gooch?
Yes, sir. He asked if I'd seen him. And as I'd not, he suggested I might retire,
and that he himself would lock up the house. The others had left, eh?
Yes, sir. That is to say, Mr. Ronald had left. I heard him drive off in his car, and Miss Elizabeth had retired.
You were alone in the downstairs part of the house, sir. Is that so, Mr. Spiller? Yes.
Will you tell me, please, what you did then?
Well, I'd promised the poor fellow I'd have a talk with him later in the evening, so I went to look for him.
I went down to the end of the garden by the fountain. But you didn't go through the lilac edge to the fountain?
No, no, I didn't. It was dark by then. I couldn't see. I called Gooch several times.
Did anyone hear Mr. Spiller call? I did, sir. I was half asleep, you might say.
But I did hear Mr. Spiller call out. And then what did you do, Mr. Spiller?
I came back into the house, Inspector, and I sat up in the library and read for a while, and about one o'clock I went to bed.
Now, now, this is very important. Who turned off the fountain? I did, sir.
At what time, masters? At ten-thirty, sir. You're quite sure of that, eh? Yes, sir. It was the usual time.
I see. And no one would have turned it on again, of course. I can't think why, sir.
Ah, I see. Well, I think that makes everything very clear, Mr. Spiller.
When the body was found, it was still wet from the spray of the fountain.
Therefore, death must have occurred some time before the fountain was turned off at ten-thirty. Yes.
And as all of you here were occupied up until then, from the time the deceased was last seen alive...
Oh, of course, it is an accident. I said it was from the beginning.
Well, it might have been neither, you know. There had been a blow, and there was water in the lungs,
but the man apparently fell, missed his footing due to his poor eyesight and struck his head,
falling into the water from which he was unable to rescue himself.
Well, it does seem the obvious conclusion, doesn't it, my my? Poor fellow, do you mean?
Well, thanks, everyone. I don't think he's left the trouble you again, Mr. Spiller.
I hope not. Thank you, Inspector.
Oh, Daddy, I'm so glad. I was afraid for a while.
Nothing to be afraid of, dear, you know. Poor old Gooch just lost his footing and fell, that's all.
I know. I was afraid of him.
Afraid of him?
I know it was silly, but he was so strange. I thought he had some sort of hold over you.
Nonsense, darling. He's just an old friend, and I'm a sentimental old fool.
You're an old dear. But I've got to run now.
Off with Ronald?
Yes. Daddy, are you going to be awfully lonely when I've gone?
You know I'll miss you.
Maybe Mrs. Diggby?
Now, now, now, now, now, my girl.
She's such a darling, Daddy.
She is rather nice, in fact, I thought I might pop over to see her this afternoon, as long as you're going to be out.
Daddy, I knew it. I won't keep you another second. Ask her over to dinner.
Perhaps I shall. You be on time, though.
I will. Goodbye, Daddy.
Make pardon, sir.
Oh, Masters, yes?
It's convenient to you, sir. I'd like to have my bedroom changed. I'd like to sleep indoors, in the main house.
Why's that, Masters?
I'm a very light sleeper, sir, and noises keep me awake.
Noises, Masters?
The weather vane, sir, above the garage. When the wind changes, it's great.
Well, a little oil, perhaps.
I hardly think that would do, sir, because when the wind changes, there are other noises. They can be most disturbing, sir.
What are the noises, Masters?
The fountains, sir.
The fountain?
Yes, sir. Ordinarily, I'm quite unable to hear it, any more than you can in the main house, sir.
But when the wind is from the east, the plaster backstop acts quite like a sounding board in the direction of my room, sir.
In fact, I can not only hear the fountain itself, but I can hear even the faintest noises in the grove around it, quite clearly.
Ah, I say yes, yes.
Quite?
I say yes.
Yes, for instance, on the middle night, Mr. Gooch sustained his unfortunate accident. I noticed the wind changed a little after eleven, because it got very cold.
The weather vane wakened me, and then I heard the fountain. I seem to hear other noises, too, if I may say so.
You heard?
Yes, sir.
I might add that after noting the police inspector's observations, I took the precaution of pressing your dither jacket. The sleeves seem quite wet, sir.
Yes.
I think, sir, all things taken into consideration, you might find it worth your while to retain me permanently in your service.
Oh, yes, of course, sir. I wouldn't dream of ever wanting to replace you, Masters.
At, shall we say, just double my present weight for the present?
Well, yes, yes, yes.
I'm very much obliged to, sir. Is there anything else, sir?
No, nothing else. I'm going to sit here by the fountain.
Very ingenious, the fountain. Most ingenious, my fountain.
Costs a little to run, because it uses the same water over and over again.
Over and over again. Over and over again. Over and over again.
And so closes the Fountain Plays, starring Charles Lawton, tonight's study in Suspense. Suspense is produced and directed by William Spear.
The other day, Elsa Maxwell told us about a friend who had lived many years in wine-loving countries around the world.
I gave him some of our delicious Roma California Burgundy at dinner, and he confessed to me that he thought it every bit as enjoyable as any he had ever had.
So I say, you people who do not regularly serve Roma wine are missing one of the most delightful treats daily living can offer.
It's so good, so smart, yet so very simple.
Take Miss Maxwell's advice. Enjoy Roma wine regularly. It's always good, unvaryingly fine in flavor and quality, and only pennies a glass.
Remember, more Americans enjoy Roma than any other wines. Roma. R-O-M-A. Roma wines.
Next Thursday, same time, we will have the pleasure of bringing to you Mr. Cary Grant.
Make a note now for next Thursday so you won't miss Cary Grant's performance in Suspense.
Presented by Roma Wines, R-O-M-A. Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
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