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Hiya.
I'm not Hitchcock.
I'm Alfred, his stand-in.
Someone has to stand here|while the lights and the cameras are adjusted|and all that stuff, see? And the old boy|just don't have the time.
I got the job|'cause I look like him.
That's what they say,|but not to my face.
I see they're rolling him in.
You suppose I'll look|like that when I'm his age? That will be all, Alfred.
Arrivederci, daddy-o.
Cheeky fellow, isn't he? Unfortunately, he may soon be|more than a stand-in.
We are planning to send out a|second company to tour the provinces, and Alfred will play my part.
Which brings us to|tonight's thrilling shocker.
It is called "Jonathan".
Everything Jonathan|ever told me I remember.
Even what he said about|the water in the boathouse.
Was I five or six|when I asked him about Mother? "The waves," he said.
"Your|mother's dying was like the waves.
"Drawn away by a tide, "no longer an individual wave, "but once again|a part of a total surface.
" Every important moment|of my life is a moment|I had with Jonathan.
Every incident, everything in this room|is a memory of Jonathan.
This table,|we made it together.
It took nearly six months, because|Jonathan insisted it had to be perfect.
And this, for the men's|doubles at the club.
We'd lost the first set, and were|down four games in the second.
And Jonathan looked at me with that funny|little grin he had, as much as to say, "All right, Gil,|it's all right.
"There's still time,|and we can do it!" And we did.
We were the perfect team.
Why, I wouldn't even call him "Dad"|or "Father," like other kids did.
To me, he was always Jonathan.
Jonathan,|I was right about Rosine.
She made you think I was|spoiled and unreasonable.
Gil! Well I expected you hours ago.
Hello, Rosine.
I read|your wire on the way down.
"Jonathan dead.
|Please come.
In sorrow.
" Couldn't you even use|the whole 10 words? Well, I tried to call you|while he was ill, but nobody could|locate you in Mexico.
Then yesterday|he had a relapse, so I took a chance you'd gone back to|the university and I wired you there.
"In sorrow.
"|I liked that part.
I thought|that was the best part.
Gil.
I know how you must feel.
On top of everything else, you're probably|exhausted after that all-night drive.
I stopped at the funeral|parlor on the way down.
He looks fine.
"Well laid out," I suppose|that's the right phrasing.
I delayed the funeral|to wait for you.
That was|very thoughtful of you.
The man in the grey|flannel shroud, the usher, told me it'll be tomorrow.
"Tomorrow," he said.
And all the while|he was looking out the window, seeing how they were doing|with the big, black limousine.
They're getting it shined up.
By tomorrow, they ought to|have a pretty high gloss on it, don't you think, Rosine? You know, this isn't|pleasant for me, either.
Jonathan lies in a box|and you're left with nothing.
Nothing but your youth|and your looks.
The car and this house, and the furs and the jewels No, it isn't pleasant for you|at all, is it, Rosine? I'm trying to remind myself|that you're his son.
And it's for that reason that|I'm not gonna lose my temper, Gil.
Does your heart|feel heavy that he's lying in the vault|next to my mother? Do you feel badly that|there's room for Jonathan, but there is no room for you? Well, maybe you want|my little niche, too.
Huh? You've taken|everything else.
Take that,|and you're welcome to it.
We made such a perfect team|in everything.
Tennis, golf, swimming, everything.
All these cups And you won them all|together, I know.
Do you? Do you really know? Yes.
Yes, I know how much|you meant to each other.
You never gave me|a chance to forget it.
I remember|when we won this one.
This was the doubles|at the men's club.
It didn't take you long,|Rosine, to tie him in knots.
Or untie me.
Gil, that was|for your own good.
He wanted you to have|friends your own age to live your own life and|stand on your own two feet.
So you could stand on his.
Well, he was entitled|to something of his own, too.
"Something of his own, too.
" I remember when he said|the same words.
I thought they were his words, and something inside of me|died when he said them.
They were your words,|weren't they? From the very beginning,|they were your words.
I remember when it was.
We were out on the lake,|Jonathan and I, and it was just when we were|coming up to the boathouse.
Here we Jonathan.
The pills are|in my shirt pocket.
You all right? That's better.
The old gray mare.
Now, you see, I've been warning you|for a long time to get yourself|a younger partner.
A team's only as good|as its weakest player, and it looks like|I've just about had it.
But I can remember a time|not too long ago when I could take you at least three|out of four sets on the tennis court.
Yeah! Three out of five,|Jonathan.
All right.
I could swim with you on|my back out to that island.
Bring me home, too.
Yeah.
Look, son, when you go back|to college next week, I want you to make friends.
Not like last year,|understand? I'm not going back, Jonathan.
What do you mean|you're not going back? Look, I talked to Dr.
Mack|about your heart.
Oh.
Oh, he told you, huh? Well, then, now, come on.
He also told you that this wasn't too serious, provided I took it easy.
Sure I could go on for years, but not with you hanging around|here, watching every move I make.
No, sir,|back to school for you, and this time, you're|gonna be one of the gang and mix with the fellows.
Dad, I hate school.
I hate the fellows in it.
Now you give it another try.
It'll be all right,|you'll see.
But they're so immature,|they're so stupid.
Jonathan, compared to you,|they're Well, they're|just plain dull! That's very flattering, son, but it's|not the case at all and you know it.
But it is.
Look.
|Yeah? Suppose that|I forget school.
Suppose that you and I|take off somewhere, like Mexico.
Mexico? Look here, young fellow, I've got|an office and I work in it, remember? How do you think|I support us? I'm sorry.
No, son, I want you to go out|and meet some nice girls your own age, have a ball,|have I don't wanna be|with girls my own age.
What would you do if I went|off and I led my own life? Well, I'd probably settle down|and then marry again.
Marry? Gil, your mother died|18 years ago.
And during that time, I never|thought I could meet another woman that I would really care for.
Well, I thought that you and I|had such a great life together that you wouldn't|even want Sure, son.
|Of course we do.
But, you know, when a man|gets to be about my age, he misses having a woman|around to fuss over him, put him in his place.
Besides, a man is entitled|to something of his own.
You know such a woman? Yes.
Oh.
And you intend marrying her, is that it? That's right.
Son, I didn't mean to|break this news to you just like this,|but maybe it's better It's all right.
|I mean, very surgical,|the operation was a success.
There was|hardly any bleeding.
I'm sorry.
It's all right, son.
Who is she? My secretary.
|I think you'll like her.
She had a pretty rough time|from her first husband.
What does she look like? I think she's very lovely.
When are you|getting married? Next month.
That's why I want you to begin|developing your own life, be with your friends,|with kids your own age.
"Kids my own age!" Gil, you just don't Oh, she fooled you! Wasn't it enough for you that|she was married before? She did not fool me.
|She loves me very much, I love her,|and so will you! Well, I hate her! And I always will hate her.
And I wish she were dead.
There is nothing I could do to|prevent you from marrying Jonathan.
I couldn't compete|with you, Rosine.
Well, I tried|to be friendly, Gil.
I'll see you|at the funeral tomorrow.
You're not staying here|in the house? With you? You hate me|that much, huh? All right.
I'll go to a|hotel and you stay here.
Well, after all,|he left you the house.
It belongs to you.
You know the contents|of the will.
That's interesting.
Yes, he read it to me|last year.
I see.
Well, Rosine, I shan't ever|live in this house again.
You may have it.
The tennis courts, and the|lake, the lock, stock and barrel.
Isn't there anything|you wanna ask me about your father? No.
But how did he die?|And why? Where were you, Rosine,|when he had a relapse? No questions.
Just the overwhelming,|driving need to know how did you manage|to kill him? Here you are.
Go ahead, drink it.
|It'll do you good.
Sherry.
That's kind of|an unusual drink for you.
Why? It's so mild.
You see, I knew about your drinking, Rosine,|the week after you married him.
I didn't wanna say|anything to him because I knew how much|it would hurt him.
Well, I doubt|if he'd have believed you.
Like most of your ideas,|that's a fantasy in your mind.
'Cause I drink neither more|nor less than most people.
Well, I thought the funeral was very simple|and dignified, didn't you? Just the way|your father would've liked it.
It was a good show, Rosine.
Can't you say one sentence|that isn't horrible? All through the whole thing,|from the mock sermon to the mock tears,|I watched you.
I could see the wheels|going around inside your head.
"Jonathan Dalliford is gone.
"In a few more moments,|mourning will be officially over.
"Sorrow will be|officially ended " I don't have to listen to|this.
I think you'd better.
Will you stop|threatening me? Stay here, Rosine.
Now, my father was|a very wealthy man, and he left|not only you, but me, very well provided for, so that I don't have to worry about|anything for the rest of my life, except the answers to some|very important questions.
Where was his lovely wife when he had a relapse? Oh, I think you already know those|answers, don't you, from Dr.
Mack? Now, weren't you satisfied|with his answers? You fooled Jonathan.
You probably|found it easy to fool Dr.
Mack.
How did you kill him? I didn't.
My father did not die|from a coronary.
Oh, you're questioning|Dr.
Mack's word? You must have done it|before I left for Mexico.
Why did you go|to Mexico, Gil? Now you knew that Jonathan and I|were coming back from our vacation.
We expected to find you here.
Why did you run off|to Mexico? That ought to be obvious.
Couldn't stand being here,|and watching you My friend, Don, I really put him through it|that last day.
He was staying here|in the house with me.
He was very anxious|to meet you and Jonathan.
I put an end to that.
I was right here|in this room.
Well, where the devil|did you disappear to? Town, shopping.
Intelligently, I can see.
More intelligent than this|is the jalopy I just bought.
Jalopy?|Yeah.
It's out in the driveway.
Let's hope that it gets us|to Mexico City.
Mexico City?|Have you flipped? It was you who praised the virtues|and the vices of Mexico City.
Well, sure, but I|All right, let's take off.
We'll drive down, have a ball|and stay through the summer.
What's this all about? You invited me up here|as a guest until Labor Day.
Yeah.
|Well, it's been swell, but your father and Rosine|get home tomorrow I don't wanna be here|when they arrive.
Look, Gil, it's none of my|business, but don't you think Don, you want to|go down or not? If not, fine, you stay|here, you greet them.
I'll go down alone.
All right.
|I'll go with you.
Buddy.
Hey, let's not|leave that behind! This is a present.
French brandy.
|Very expensive.
Enough to drown|the sorrows of a lifetime.
Not for us.
|A present? It's their first anniversary,|day after tomorrow.
I thought you told me|Jonathan never drinks.
Oh, no.
He doesn't.
But his wife likes a few more|than he suspects.
I don't get it.
Well, don't you?|Jonathan doesn't drink.
Well, with this, the lady will|know that I'm wise to her drinking.
Come on,|let's go look at the car.
And so, Rosine, I spent all those dull weeks|in Mexico City, came back to school|and got your telegram.
Well, that's interesting.
|It doesn't answer my question.
Oh, it will.
|I'll be back in a few days.
Well, where are you going? Back to college,|close up my room, say goodbye|to formal education.
Quitting?|Yep.
Why? I only stayed in the first place|because Jonathan wanted me to.
Now I have enough money not to|have to study medicine or law, or even industry.
At present, I'm interested|in only one profession.
Criminal investigation.
Don't you think|I have a flair for it? Good gracious! Mr.
Gil.
You startled me.
|Hi, Mrs.
Duffin.
I didn't know you were|expected home tonight.
Well, I wasn't.
|Is Mrs.
Dalliford in? No.
She left hours ago.
She didn't even|have her dinner.
It's a good brand, Gil.
Oh, don't you want|to keep it? Oh, Gil.
Now you're gonna|leave me here all by myself.
This big house|with all my money, hmm? Here.
Now you take that.
You hold it.
Cherish it.
Well, you've been wondering|what happened, haven't you? But you've been|a little too afraid to ask.
You know now or do you|want me to tell you? Yes, I was fond|of Jonathan.
I really tried to make|that marriage work.
The two of you were so close|that it was a little difficult for anybody else|to get into the game.
And I guess we both knew that|the marriage wasn't gonna work if it broke the two of you up|completely.
Come here.
|Look at me.
Well.
You were pretty smart.
But not quite smart enough.
Oh, Gil, if you'd only|been here to greet Jonathan instead of running off|to Mexico, now, you would've seen that|he couldn't do without you.
He didn't really need me.
See, you almost won|and you didn't even know it.
Because you hated me|more than you loved him.
So before you went to Mexico, you|bought me that nice bottle of brandy.
Oh, I appreciated that gift.
|I saved it.
You know, Jonathan used to brag about|how well you were doing in chemistry.
He said that you had finally found|something that really interested you.
And he was so right,|wasn't he, Gil? You know, Dr.
Mack prescribed|alcohol for Jonathan after he had his heart attack.
So I used to give him|a highball every now and then.
Oh, he enjoyed that.
He was getting so much better.
He was so excited about|your coming back from Mexico.
Making all sorts of plans|for the two of you.
Which didn't include me.
Well, then I knew|you'd won, and I'd be left with nothing.
So I just suggested that he have|one little drink of your brandy.
From that bottle|that you intended for me.
Well, I had noticed that|the cellophane was torn.
There was just that tiny|little pin prick in the cork.
Took hours for it to work.
I thought maybe|I'd been wrong about you.
But I hadn't.
Oh, now,|why did you do that? I wasn't going to turn|you over to the police.
After all, they couldn't possibly|have anything on me, could they, Gil? I didn't put the poison|in the bottle.
I was just following|doctor's orders.
So it was you, Gil.
|You killed Jonathan.
You're going to have to remember|that for the rest of your life.
Those of you who like to see nasty people receive|their comeuppance, will be delighted with|the result of tonight's tale.
Gil took his story|to the police, and he and Rosine|were promptly punished.
She for ***,|and he for intent to ***.
There is, however,|a brighter side to all this.
Both have become|model prisoners.
This concludes|tonight's divertissement.
But please remain tuned|to this channel.
I am not familiar with|the program which follows, nor the one after that.
But I have seen the story|we are presenting next time, and I think|it's worth waiting for.
Good night.
